


I can make you whole

by FirenzeSun



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, It's basically a fic where first I give you the Comfort, M/M, Season 4 Spoilers, but you'll have to pay for it first, djinn dream, the originales characters are basically the Green family from the Constangreen server, then I give you the Hurt, then a little Comfort to soothe the pain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-04-06 08:09:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19058680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FirenzeSun/pseuds/FirenzeSun
Summary: Gary Green has everything he ever wants. He's back with John, they're going steady and they accidentally ended up adopting a former demonic girl. He's happy, he truly is.Then he wakes up and nothing has changed.----------Neron makes Gary live through thirty years of a dream life. This is it, and its consequences.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [geeky_ramblings](https://archiveofourown.org/users/geeky_ramblings/gifts), [harleygirl2648](https://archiveofourown.org/users/harleygirl2648/gifts), [dametokillfor](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dametokillfor/gifts), [Rivulet027](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rivulet027/gifts), [AgentMaryMargaretSkitz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgentMaryMargaretSkitz/gifts), [simpleParadox](https://archiveofourown.org/users/simpleParadox/gifts).



> So first of all my greatest thanks to the Constangreen server who inspired all of this. Gary's family was a conjunct creation. Now, I hope you all enjoy this.

"I can make you whole again."

.

Gary woke up to the sound of his dreaded alarm ringtone. He groaned, and turned it off by memory, he still couldn't see without his glasses. He rolled away from his nightstand and turned into the welcoming arms of John, who accepted him with no thought. It was too early in the mourning and they had still not acclimated to their new routine.

The alarm went off again.

"Five more minutes," John groaned, his breath blowing Gary's hair.

"It's already been five more minutes," Gary complained while his phone kept ringing.

John made a noise, and tightened his hold on Gary. "Turn that device from Hell off before I blast it to where it belongs."

"You have to let me go for that, babe."

John made a noise again, but released him.

Gary turned off the alarm for a final time and, more awake with his glasses on, turned to look at John, who still had his eyes closed. He looked so beautiful with the first morning rays hitting his blonde hair, the were no lines of worry, not yet. He had a pout, the same pout he had every morning when Gary had to leave his arms. He was a beautiful pleasant sight, and not for the first time, Gary thought he was dreaming. Sometimes he still couldn't believe he had gotten this lucky.

But responsibility called.

"Wake up and make breakfast, babe," he asked with a kiss. "I'll wake up the hell spawn."

He kissed him once more for good measure, and rearranged his pajamas. He then went to the living room of his flat, to the couch. Where Cassie was sleeping, it would have been uncomfortable for an adult, but it was perfect for a 9 year old. It wouldn't do forever, but it did for now.

"Hey, honey," Gary says caressing her black curls. "It's time to wakey-wakey." He spoke softly, knowing she needed a swift transition from sleeping to awake. She had had enough rough ones in her life. "Come on, honey, you have to get ready and you don't wanna miss John's eggs. He's making them like you like them."

Cassie blinked, her black eyes looking scared for a few seconds until she recognized Gary and relaxed again. She blinked some more, and rubbed her eyes.

"With bacon too?"

"Did you hear that John?" Gary asked louder while still looking at her with a soft smile.

"Already on it," John answered from the kitchen space.

"Come on, honey, go to the toilet and breakfast will be ready when you're out."

He watched her go, her little naked feet making soft noises against the wood. Gary got up and pecked John on the lips before grabbing the eggs and carrying them to the breakfast island.

When Cassie arrived and he watched her and John eat, Gary thought that maybe this was the part it was a dream. It was not perfect and it had been some bumpy months. A year and a half actually, if you consider all the obstacles John and him faced while trying to rebuild their relationship after Neron.

Soon his coffee was over, and Gary's reflection time was too. "Come on, honey, go get dressed. You too, babe."

Both Cassie and John groaned.

"Do I  _really_  have to go to school?"

"Yes," Gary answered.

"I already missed two years. One day will do no harm," Cassie reasoned.

"All the more reason for you to go, and you won't be skipping when the first week isn't even over."

"John didn't finish school."

"And John's a disaster," Gary deadpanned.

"He's right, Cassie. You just lost your argument, now go get dressed," John ushered her.

Cassie opened the small wardrobe they had bought for her and went to the bathroom to get changed. Meanwhile after leaving the dishes on the sink, Gary and John went to the bedroom. The idea was to get dressed, but they spent several minutes kissing each other. Using the privacy for heated kisses that would last them for the entire day of work.

Afterwards, while Gary finished fixing himself, John helped Cassie with her hair. He had had some practice with Cheryl on the few occasions they got along as kids, while Gary having grown up with two brothers and two dads was at a total loss.

Gary opened the portal for John to get into the Waverider, and then went with Cassie to take the bus and drop her at school before going to the Time Bureau. When they arrived at school, Gary watched her go with some trepidation. She seemed to be adapting well, but Gary couldn't help but worry. School had been Hell for Gary, and Cassie had already went through Hell once.

.

John and him had decided to take a small leave - a few months- from the time traveling business, and instead when around the country helping with supernatural cases. John needed a break from the Legends - he loved them, he did, but the string of nonsense that followed them was sometimes too much. Besides, after Desmond, after Neron, after everything that happened, he and Gary had decided to try again. Not as a fling this time, but for real. They had had several hard excruciating feelings-loaded talks and they were doing this right.

Right for them of course, still implied going on in adventures, chasing evil demons and helping magical creatures find their place. Life on the road, just the two of them, hadn't been without bumps. Gary could still be too overwhelming and John was still prone to depression and bad coping mechanisms. But they were figuring it out and had reach some form of balance.

Until they found a case of a satanic cult, and two parents who had sold their daughter to a demon. The nine year old girl was in the middle of the ritual, while she contorted and screamed. The case had made John particularly nervous, reminded him too much of Astra, the girl even had a similar skin color and hair.

It had been nasty. The girl's parents ended up dead, but no tears were spilled, it was obvious they had never properly cared for their daughter. She was just a tool for their rituals in their quest for power. The cult was disseminated. Some lonely cells were still out but they posed no immediate danger.

But the most important thing was: the girl was out of danger.

"It's okay, you're safe," John said to the girl, kneeling next to her. "What's your name, sweetheart?"

The girl gave her a hard look, she knew what had happened. Her parents had been training her as a demon vessel. So she was naturally mistrusting, but something about the way John was looking at her seemed to have convinced her. "Cassie."

"Alright, Cassie, it's over, you're gonna be safe now."

"No, I'm not. He's going to return, he still wants to claim me," she said shaking, holding tighter Gary's jacket over her.

John grabbed her shoulders. "No, sweetheart, me and Gary have experience fighting demons and we won't let him approach you ever again. You're gonna be safe. We will protect you."

"Him too?" Cassie asked doubtful looking at Gary who was approaching him with two ice-cream cones in his hands.

"I didn't know what flavor you preferred so I brought chocolate and strawberry. Hopefully strawberry is not your favorite because most of it has landed on my shirt, and that's not very tasteful. Anyway, which flavor you prefer?"

Cassie looked at him for a while how Gary tried to clean his shirt with his hand that was still holding the culprit ice-cream. He was making an even bigger mess, but it worked. Not on his shirt, but on Cassie who with a tiny chuckle said, "chocolate."

"That's a relief," Gary said giving her the still intact chocolate cone and then proceeded to eat the strawberry one.

.

They couldn't take her to the police exactly. Not only would it be hard to explain what they were doing with the daughter of the two burned beyond recognition bodies that had appeared dismembered on their own patio. But there was still some danger on her. She had been right, even though he had been banished, the demon might return for her. It would probably take some time as crawling out of Hell wasn't an easy task, not even for demons. But it might happen. She needed to be around people who could help her if it was the case. And it wasn't like there was a social service system for supernatural kids.

So they took her back with them to the motel room they were staying in. Though they realized a bit too late that they had asked for a single and being a cheap motel room, it had no armchair or anything. John and Gary exchanged a look. They had really not thought things through.

"I'm going back to sleep on the car," John said.

Cassie surprised them both, with a soft "no."

"Sweetheart, it's okay. Gary will still be here." But Cassie's panicked look wouldn't go away. So, John looked at Gary with a grimace. "I can sleep in the bathtub?"

Cassie relaxed then.

Gary looked at John. "We have no bathtub here, but I'll arrange some blankets on the floor."

John looked at his boyfriend, and looked at the little girl who they were both now looking after now. There was still a hard set of her shoulders, she still expected the devil after her. John looked at Gary.

They had really not thought things through.

The devil did not come from her. They stayed over a week, until it was time to leave town. Onto the next case, John and Gary took turns to look after Cassie, while the other one worked. The few times they both had to do it together, they would leave Cassie with protections spells, salt and every ward that John could think of. After they both returned, Cassie remained close to both of them, holding a piece of their jacket or coat.

It was after they were stopped by a police officer on the route, and being able to continue only after John did a confounding spell on him, that John and Gary couldn't stall it anymore.

"We need to talk about this, John," Gary confronted him while Cassie was asleep after watching cartoons.

"About what?" John played obtuse. He had gotten better than before when it came to talking about feelings. But he started from really low standards so…

"You know, about the fact that we're both suddenly looking after a child together."

"What about it?" John was on the defense and Gary was too tired for this. He had got scared today that they might lose Cassie, not to demons and the such, but to humans.

"We can't keep going like this, just traveling around with her. We got lucky it was just one cop, but eventually somebody will wonder why two white guys are traveling with a black girl and we won't be able to get our way out with just lies and spells. We need to do something about it. We need to-"

"What do you want to do about it?" John's tone could cut through glass.

"I was thinking- I know this is probably too much to ask for, and I get it if you don't want to- and you probably never expected or wanted this. And it's probably too much too soon. And you'll probably think this is stupid, but- I was thinking of calling Ava and telling her to get the papers to become her official legal guardians?" Gary cringed. This was such a stupid thing to say. They had only just gotten together. John had commitment issues the size of Manhattan and he was basically suggesting they become parents to a girl they've only known for a few weeks. He was about to lose John, but he couldn't leave this little girl to her own fate.

"So you don't want to get rid of her?" John asked him.

"No, of course not."

Gary then found himself with his arms full of John and his lips being crushed on a passionate kiss. His lips tried to curve in a smile and he only failed because he was too busy kissing back. When they broke apart John laughed on his shoulder.

"I was worried you wouldn't want her," he confessed on his shoulder.

"Are you being serious?"

"You know, I haven't been the best, and- just the fact that you wanted to try again, that you gave me another chance. Fuck, but now we're being parents of a former demonic child. You keep me in my toes, sunshine."

"I thought the p-word was going to scare you away," was Gary's time to confess.

"I thought the same, but not with her and not with you."

Gary grabbed John's head to remove it from his shoulder so he could look him in the eyes. "I love you," he said and it was the first time he said it, though he had known for a very long time.

John smiled at him with a smile so sweet that Gary felt like he was in a real-life fairytale. "I love you too."

.

It had been an awkward conversation. Ava had both called him an idiot and congratulated him on the same sentence. Meanwhile Gary could hear Sara's screams about John and commitment and "I can't believe  _John_  beat me to it," on the background. Ava did help him nevertheless, and that's how they both became the legal guardians of Cassie Campbell.

They started heading back to DC. Gary begun tutoring her to catch her up on what she had missed while being prepared to be a demon vessel. Eventually they settled back in Gary's apartment. John joined the Legends again and Gary took again his position at the Time Bureau. They had a new normal that was weird and unexpected and perfect.

.

Gary Green hated his life.

For starters, he had spent almost all night awake because Cassie had forgotten to mention she needed the miniature solar system for today and not next week. John was stuck on a mission with the Legends, so he couldn't help him and he wasn't there to prepare breakfast. And this morning Gary was truly craving John's eggs, both figuratively and literally. Cassie, God bless her, was on a good behavior knowing that Gary wasn't in a mood.

Nevertheless they left Gary's place five minutes late, and today of all days the bus had decided to come earlier so they missed their usual ride. Meaning that Cassie arrived late to school and Gary had to stand the berating talk from the vice principal. In turn, Gary arrived late to work.

At least Ava didn't say anything to him about it. She was also in a mood today with Sara gone, so she got him. Mona sensed the loaded environment and brought the both of them their favorite meals. They both ate in Ava's office in a companionable bad mood. Meaning that Ava grunted and glared at Gary's passive-aggressive smiles. Hey, friendship!

He then had scheduled to leave earlier to pick up Cassie from school because Cassie's friend, Betty was sick so her mother wasn't there to drop Cassie back home. Meaning Gary had to rush to finish work. But he was still Gary and he couldn't find the file from last mission and they needed to close the case for this month's final report. Ava was beginning to shout at him, with didn't help to locate the file.

Finally it appearing on bloody McNeil's desk, and Gary would have spent more time berating McNeil and taking out his frustration on him, but he was already an hour late and Gary was supposed to be the bigger man. When he finally got to Cassie she was now in a bad mood too and she had opted for the silent treatment. Which was childish, but she was a child, she was allowed that.

Then Gary burned dinner, Cassie laughed at him and he was about to cry in a frustration. When Cassie came and hugged him from behind.

"I miss him too," she said.

Gary patted her back and returned the hug.

"So what do you say that we give up on this, order calabrese pizza and watch a movie meanwhile."

"Can we order ice-cream too?"

"Strawberry and chocolate?"

Cassie nodded enthusiastically, and after dropping a kiss on the crown of her head, Gary grabbed his phone and ordered through the app.

They watched Lord of the Rings - extended version, of course -, ate pizza and ice-cream. They ended up falling asleep before disk two. When John arrived he found them with the TV save-screener on and cuddled together.

John woke up Gary with a kiss on the forehead. "Come on, my love. Let's go to bed."

"John?" Gary said, and when his eyes focused on him, he regaled them with a sweet smile. "You're back."

"I am, sunshine," John said with a soft peck to his lips. "Go to bed, I'll tuck her in."

Gary heard John accommodating Cassie on the sofa, and he heard them speaking softly before John headed to bed. The movement, and seeing his boyfriend had removed the tiredness from Gary and now he was quite awake.

"We missed you," Gary said looking in awe at his boyfriend who was getting undressed.

John paused and looked at him. "I've missed you too." He then climbed to bed half-undressed and whispered against Gary's lips. "But you know what I loved about this mission?"

"What?" Gary whispered back.

"Knowing I was coming back home to you and Cassie."

They kissed right then, a strong, affirming kiss. Gary pushed John to him so he was straddling him. He finished removing John's shirt away, and said with a low voice holding John down by his tie. "I wanted your dick so much tonight. I wanted so much for you to fill me."

"Squire," John whimpered, incredibly aroused.

"Will you fuck me, John? I wanted to have you so much all day. I want you to fuck me until I can only remember your name."

"Fuck, Gary."

"Go and lock the door, babe," Gary said with a teasing smile.

John glared at him but the heat was lost in the pure lust that shone in his eyes. He hurried to do as Gary told him and returned to bed to an already naked Gary. He took away his pants and underwear, but didn't get to lose his tie before Gary was pulling him forward with it. It was a tie night, apparently.

John kissed Gary and fumbled with one hand for the lube. Their lips barely left one another while John prepared him. Meanwhile Gary's hand were on every single inch of John's body. Taking stock of every muscle, every hair, every curve. He's so precious and Gary feels so lucky.

"I'm ready, please, I need you."

John groaned before kissing him and turning them around. Gary grabbed John's slicked cock and started lowering himself on it, swallowing the groans of pleasure that he could no longer utter out loud. He rode him as he had been wanting to do this morning, as he had wanted to all this previous time and John had been gone. But it didn't matter because he was right here, back home with him and their child, and that was everything that mattered.

"I love you, John, so much."

"Fuck, sunshine," John curses, his hands on Gary's hips, trusting up to meet him. "I love you too. I love you too."

They come together silently, and they cuddle up afterwards.

Sometimes Gary Green hated his life, but it was temporary. Because the truth was, Gary Green couldn't love his life more if he tried.

.

Actually, he could. It started simple, they were watching a movie the three of them on the sofa, when Cassie fell asleep and they had to leave so she could sleep in what was still her bed.

"You know, we need a bigger place," Gary mentioned off-handley, thinking that Cassie deserved her own room.

John was staring at him, like something struck him.

"John, are you okay?"

"We should get married," John blurted out.

Gary gaped at him, waiting for John to take back his words. To apologize and claim it was a mistake, that he really didn't mean it, that he was possessed by a romantic demon.

"What?" Gary asked mainly to break the silence.

"We should get married," John repeated. "We're talking about finding a new place, we're raising a daughter together and- it seems like the logical next step."

"John, I- there's no need to- I don't need-"

John approached him and grabbed his hands.

"I know you don't. But I also know that you want. And I want it too," John trailed off and look down to gather his thoughts and then he looked up again, staring straight at John's eyes. "I never thought I would want to, but I also never thought I would be here, with you raising a daughter and excited at the prospect of finding a place for the both of us and Cassie. I want to call you husband, so what do you say?"

Gary had starter crying somewhen during John's speech, but he was grinning. One of the biggest grins he had to offer.

"I say yes of course."

If this were a movie this would be the moment when they kiss to celebrate, maybe one of them would grab the other by the waist and spin the other around. But it wasn't so they stayed there looking each other in the eyes, crying and laughing at the same time.

"I was starting to get worried you two would wait until I wasn't cute enough to be the flower girl," Cassie said peeking her head from the edge of the couch.

"You'll always be cute for me, honey," Gary said grinning, God, he couldn't stop grinning.

Cassie stuck his tongue at him, but she was smiling too.

.

The wedding had to be postponed.

Not because John backed out, or any of them got cold feet. It was something way worse that threatened the peace they had obtained. Gaderel was back, and he intended to claim Cassie for good. To cash in the promise her biological parents had made.

The house they had bought with the help of Gary's dads, had burned down. And now they were in the Waverider, the time traveling providing some little protection until they knew how to defeat him for good.

Gary was sitting in the middle of the lab on the floor. Cassie, scared and shaking in his arms, he held to her tight, as if covering with his own body could protect her from demonic possession. John was in the bridge making a plan, but Gary selfishly wanted him to be here, hugging Cassie's other side. Covering her in all fronts.

"I'm sorry," Cassie cried into Gary's shoulder. "If- if I don't make it-"

"No, honey, don't talk like that," Gary cried.

"I want you and John to know that I love you both, and I'm so thankful that you took me in. You were the best parents ever."

Gary knew true heartbreak then and there.

"I love you, Cassie, and neither me nor John will let that demon touch you. Ever."

John found them both crying softly on the floor of the lab, he kissed both their heads and when Gary looked at him, he saw the unspilled tears and the determination. No demon would take their daughter away from them.

.

Afterwards, with the demon finally dead and the threat over, they crashed at the Green's place. Jeff Green had prepared a mattress on the floor for all of them to sleep in the same room, knowing they wanted to be together. But in the end, the three of them ended up asleep on Gary's bed, too clingy to let go of one another. Cassie was in the middle, bracketed between both of them and finally safe.

It took long, but the insurance had worked (Jeff had insisted on it, "you know your brother, Gary, it's a precaution"), and they managed to get a new home. And finally, the wedding was back on. It went as smooth as it could have gone when you put not only the Legends but the absolute chaos that the Green family were, in the same place for almost an entire day.

His older brother, JJ, behaved and did not bring his axe to the wedding - though he did bring a machete - and got surprisingly well with Zari. Nate shouted at Gary for not telling he was the brother of vlogger  _Adventure Wild Man_.

"He fought a bear, Gary, he's a national hero."

"He also stayed an entire afternoon with no pants climbed to a tree in our front yard," Gary shrugged.

His little brother, Levi, spent most of his time talking to Mick of all people about art.

"I stole a painting from you," Mick huffed when he saw him.

"Oh, yes, thank you. It was a lovely story to tell afterwards."

And just like that they began talking. Usually Gary got either bored or repulsed for what his brother considered art. But go, figure.

If any of the Legends or the Time Bureau figured out something about how his other dad, Puck, was in fact the fairy servant of Oberon, they said nothing. Gary had had his suspicions over the years but Puck had also been the other person Jeff had loved after his mother died, and Gary knew him only as the man who have helped him raise him. Ava stayed away from him though and talked mostly only to Jeff.

Gary looked at his family, at the Legends, at his friends from the Time Bureau, all gathered there to celebrate him and John, and he begun tearing up and the ceremony hadn't even started.

"Dad, wait until you're making the vows to cry," Cassie chastised him but she only made it worse.

Since the whole demon thing, she had begun calling them both Dad. Occasionally, 'other Dad' was used when the wrong dad would answer. Gary hugged and kissed her despite her protests, but she was also laughing so he didn't take her seriously.

The wedding was beautiful and Gary cried the whole time. But he didn't care because there were also tears in John's eyes, and love, so much love. Gary broke the cup after accidentally stepping on John's foot a couple of times and people celebrated.

The reception got a bit wild. Some powers were used, there were of course some questionable hook-ups. And Gary was happier than ever. He danced with his husband, he danced with his daughter, he danced with both his dads and even Ava took him out for a dance. She congratulated him, and hugged him and told him how happy he was for him.

Tired from the dancing, Gary sat next to John back at the table and laced their hands together. He watched at his family and friends, he looked at his daughter climbed on JJ's shoulders. And then he look at the smile on his husband's lips.

Gary Green loved his life.

.

"Dad, you promised!" Cassie complained.

"I said you're still too young for it," John said, his nose twitching furiously.

"You said that after I graduated school I could join the Legends!"

"And it's still too dangerous!" John shouted back.

"Because being used in a satanic ritual when I was nine and then being left alone when you two were on cases was a walk in the park!" Cassie has always had a quick temper, but right now she was livid.

"You should never have to go through that, and you should not, will not, face the dangers of being a Legend."

"Come on! Even Dad got to be a Legend and he's an idiot!"

There was silence in the house. Gary had listened to all of it and had been waiting for his turn to speak, as he already had a solution for all of this. But now the already tense environment had turned sour.

"Cassandra, take that back and apologize to your father." John didn't shout, instead his tone was just disappointed.

Gary had developed a tougher skin over the years. Having a lovely family of his own, a husband and a daughter; having friends that respected him at work. He knew he still annoyed them on occasion, but he knew that they also loved him and saw his worth and respected him. He knew better than to take personally the words from his daughter, but they hurt nevertheless.

"Dad, I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean that. I'm so sorry." Cassie eyes had gone red, and she seemed about to cry when he saw the way her father's eyes shone with hurt.

"I think this shows you aren't ready to join the Legends," Gary raised a finger to stop Cassie's upcoming protests. He had develop in the last years the Green calmness that helped him against all the absurd drama the Green family constantly lived through. "I know you want to join, but you're not ready. If you truly want to do this then you'll do the five-year training at the Time Bureau and meanwhile you'll continue your warlock training with your father. These are more than fairs terms, and you can train with Ronnie who's already in the program. If not, it means you aren't serious about this and joining the Legends is just a whim. So, do you agree?"

"Yeah, Dad, I agree," Cassie said still looking apologetic.

"Well, go and tell Aunt Ava to write you in the upcoming program after the summer. But first, come here and give me a hug," Gary told him.

Cassie run to Gary, and hugged him and kissed his cheek with a mix of "sorry, Dad," and "I love you." She then gave a peck to John before taking her purse and going to Ava's.

John stayed standing looking at him.

"You know you're hot when you take charge of situations like this?"

Gary smirked, his awkwardness slightly returning. "You may have mentioned it once or twice, yes."

"And that I love what a great father you are?" John saying, his eyes extremely fond.

"You're a great father too, John," Gary said accepting John's hand in his.

"I wasn't the one who defuse the situation, sunshine," John said, his head down.

"But you were determined to not see our daughter carelessly throw herself on dangerous situation."

"I just- I don't even want her to join the Legends, it's just a dangerous job, and-"

"And you'd like to protect her forever. I know, love," Gary said kissing his cheek. "But she's growing and we cannot protect her forever."

"I'm thinking that when she joins the Legends I'll have to retire." John buried his head on the crook of Gary's neck and shoulder.

"And we'll have a beautiful calm retired life together," Gary sighed, kissing John's ear.

"Calm, yeah," John laughed.

.

"Happy Birthday, Dad!" Cassie screamed after enveloping him in a big hug.

They were all in his garden, Cassie and her wife, Annette, had arrived first to help him prepare the place. John was doing the BBQ, while the rest prepared the table and chairs. It was going to be a simple gathering, though it was an important date.

They arrived in turns, family and friends. The Green family was there, though now it just meant his brothers and their partners. The Legends arrived too, both old and new. They were his friends, but they were also his family, a bunch of dysfunctional misfits who all found where to belong.

They ate, and laughed, and reminisced old adventures. They relegated to the new generation of Legends, and to the children of some of that generation.

Gary watched around. There were Ava and Sara, married now, Sara had always been a bit pissed that John beat them to it. Their son, Blake was chatting with Ronnie Stein, the ship's captain. At a side, there was Gideon, in her android body, she didn't eat but was more than glad to chat with Ray and Nora and their daughter, Gwen. She had inherited all of her father's nerdiness, but she was a disaster at magic despite her mother's and John's attempts to train her. Yet, she had designed Gideon's body that allowed her to not only leave the ship, but also  _be_  the ship. Gary didn't understand it, and he had gave up a long time ago in trying to.

Not everyone was there. Mick had passed a long time ago, and Charlie had left, she had wanted to help others mythical creatures and had started her own path. Martina Jackson was stuck on a mission for the Time Bureau, but she had told Ronnie to send her regards.

This was his family, this were his friends.

Cassie arrived with the cake, and everyone sung to him.

"Happy 70th birthday, my love," John said to him with a smile and champagne in his glass. "I love you, sunshine."

Gary Green couldn't love his life more.

Then everything went black.

.

Gary Green woke up to the sound of the Waverider alarm, in the lab, Neron's words echoing in his head.

"I can make you whole again."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So to clarify. The fan cast for Gary's family are:
> 
> Jeff Green: Jeff Goldblum  
> Puck: Stanley Tucci  
> JJ: Jason Mantzoukas  
> Levi: Ezra Miller
> 
> Next chapter will probably be up tomorrow and with it comes the PAIN.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the pain

Gary didn't understand what had happened. He was with his family, celebrating his birthday and now he was back at the Waverider in the middle of a crisis. He looked down at his hands and they weren't the wrinkled hands he had grown to know. They were smooth, young,  _wrong_.

He walked aimlessly, around the Waverider, feeling lost and stumbled upon John holding Ray back with his powers. But hadn't they dealt with Neron decades ago?

"Oh, Gary. Where have you been?" John asked him.

His voice sounded so young, but so wrong.

"I was hiding in the lab, then I heard noises."

He looked at Ray, and he looked at John trying to figure out what had happened. He had fuzzy memories of this time, he couldn't quite remember what had happened, but then again it had been over thirty years.

"Yeah, well, go and get my steam trunk, and we can exorcise this demon right now."

But Gary couldn't move, he was still confused. Did this mean Neron was still possessing Ray? Hadn't they sent him away a long time ago? Ray had become his friend, he had married Nora and they had a nerd daughter named Gwen. She was at the party with him, she had been congratulated him for his birthday right after his father.

"Damn it, Gary, now it's not the time to be standing around like some hapless idiot. I can't hold this bastard forever. Do it now!" John said angrily to him, and his words, his tone cut deep into Gary.

This John didn't love him.

And with that realization came understanding.

It had all been a dream given by Neron. The life he had lived was nothing but a lie. A mirage. He was still the idiot, the lackey. The doormat for the Legends and the Time Bureau. He was alone, and nobody loved him.

Gary Green was alone, and he hated his life.

Neron looked at him with understanding.

"Demands a lot from you, doesn't he, Gary? But what has he ever done for you? I, on the other hand, brought you a gift. Go ahead. Open it."

John was talking but Gary didn't listen to him, he looked instead at Neron's gift. Conflicting memories flooded through him. Cassie smiling at him, Ray telling him he didn't love him. John marrying him, and John dumping him. The Legends celebrating his birthday, being happy for him and the Legends pushing him aside, hitting him, telling him to shut up. He was tired and he was hurt.

He accepted the nipple.

"Well done, Mr. Green," Neron congratulated him.

"I'm whole again."

No more scars from unicorns, no more conflicted memories. His memories were a fool's dream. And he was no longer a fool.

.

The perks of a cursed nipple is that Gary didn't have to focus on his pain. It was the ultimate repressing tool. But when the nipple was gone, it all came crashing down. Luckily, he now have a Fairy Godmother so he still didn't have to think about it.

"You can get revenge on them, sweetie, they will never love you like they did on your other life."

Yet Gary didn't want revenge, he wanted to hang out, to entertain the chance that one day they might become his friends and family. But of course, that was a joke,  _he_  was a joke. For a moment, anger won, Tabitha's words in his ear resonated. For a moment, he wanted revenge.

"This isn't you," Nate said, looking like he had in high school.

And no, this wasn't him. He was coming home from work to find his husband and daughter cooking dinner for him. He was holding his Cassie through another one of her nightmares. He was overcoming his fears of high school because he was a father now and his daughter needed him. He was cleaning his husband's wounds after a rough mission. He was laughter, and family, and friends, and fond smiles, and a helping hand.

The Legends apologized to him, and he wanted to believe them.

He did, in the end.

They seemed to treat him better, and he was being included in the teamwork. Which was not nearly as close as they have been in the end, but there they had had over thirty years, in here it hadn't even been 24 hours.

He managed by. There was a demon to defeat and magical creatures to deal with. He kept himself busy and he didn't think. He didn't think of the last wish he had asked to his Fairy Godmother, Nora now apparently. He didn't until he felt the tell-tale of the magic.

There he was. John.

The man he had got to call husband. The man he had raised a daughter with and who he had grown old with.

He didn't think, he still loved him. He had only relief. So he hugged him and for a moment, while John called him sunshine and they discussed the Legends, they had that same complicity they had shared in their life together.

For a moment.

Then the day was saved, and they were all regrouping in the Waverider. The adrenaline rush was gone, and Gary was starting to lose it. He missed the side looks John was giving him as his composure abandoned him piece by piece.

He missed his family, his husband and his daughter. Yes, he still had the rest of the Green family, his fathers and his brothers. But it was the family he had built for himself what he missed.

He wanted to hold his daughter in his arms and tell her one last time that he loved her. Why hadn't he told her often enough? He wanted John to comfort him, but this John wasn't his husband. This John thought him a fool and an idiot.

Gary casted a glance to Nora. He could wish it all away. Tell her to make the memories go away. But he wouldn't, he couldn't give them up. He would not give Cassie up. Even when it'd kill him he would treasure his memories of her.

There was still another way he could make everything stop. Nora would have to do it. He only briefly entertained the thought but it didn't take root. He would never do that to her. He probably would never even do it himself. But he knew he'd have to be careful, to be strong.

The Legends had started to disseminate, but Gary was lost in thought. He was lost.

A hand in his arms startled him out of his thoughts.

"Gary, are you okay?"

It was Ava asking him, with something that looked like real concern in her eyes. He should appreciate it, he had craved for it for a long time. Instead, he just felt more empty.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," he lied. Since when did he lie so well? "Just too much excitement. A dragon! I'm a bit tired that's all." He even managed to smile.

"Oh, you can go home then. Don't worry about the paperwork, we'll deal with that later. You've earned your rest."

And wow, approval, validation. Gary felt like crying. Would he ever feel whole again? But no, the idea of going back to his flat killed him. His empty flat, with no life, no laughs, no sounds.

"No, no, I'm fine. I'll go home in a bit, thanks."

"Are you sure?" Ava asked him, but then Sara was calling her and with a last look towards him, one that said  _we'll talk later_  she left and Gary was thankful.

He left the bridge and wandered around the ship. He craved solitude, he couldn't stand being around others right now. But he also craved companionship, being alone meant facing his memories and he wasn't sure it wouldn't kill him.

He found himself in the library. He looked at the dark display of Gideon's screen, when an idea occurred to him. He could look for her, he could-

"Something is happening to you, squire. Out with it."

Of all the people in this overpopulated ship.

"I'm fine, just a bit out of it. It was quite the adventure," Gary was proud of himself, his voice barely quivered.

"Last time I didn't pay attention to you, you ended up accepting a nipple from Hell. I'm not doing the same mistake again, love," John said walking towards him.

Gary closed his eyes to the way his heart cramped like a stone, sinking back in his chest, threatening to leave a hole.

" _hapless idiot, fool_ ," he heard.

"It's okay, you don't have to follow me around to babysit me. I'm not that stupid to make a mistake like that twice."

"I never said you were stupid," John huffed, but all Gary heard was how he thought him exactly that.

"Never with that word, no."

"Look, Gary, about that," John looked vulnerable and it wasn't fair, because it reminded Gary of his husband, and how was he supposed to let go. He couldn't before when it was just a stupid crush, even less now. "I wanted to apologize. I was pissed at Neron for everything that had happened with Desmond and I took it out on you. You didn't deserve that, and I know I pushed you to it. I'm sorry."

It reminded Gary of when they would argue. They had decided eventually, to never go to bed angry. Sometimes they wouldn't sleep all night, but they worked it out. They would usually cuddle afterwards, content with one another, a reminder that they didn't break what they had.

There was nothing to break here.

"John, thank you, but, could you not?"

"I don't get it," and what right had this John to look confused when he looked just the same as the man who had been his companion. When Gary wanted to hold him and kiss him as he used to, but he couldn't, because he didn't do that here.

"Look, we're okay. I mean, you used me, just like every resident of this ship, like Ava. And it's okay, but- but don't pretend it was just this one time or that you-"  _actually care for me_. "Just don't."

"Squire, something's happening to you. Please, tell me what it is," John asked him grabbing Gary's biceps.

Gary closed his eyes, he couldn't stand to see John so close to him. He had already slipped once and hugged him. Who knows what else he might do.

"John, please, I'm fine."

John's hand cupped his cheek, and Gary exhaled brokenly. "For what's worth, squire, I'm sorry for taking you for granted."

And with that, John left him. Gary didn't opened his eyes until he heard the swoosh of the doors closing after him. Only then, he let himself fall and cry.

.

He didn't look for Cassie that day and eventually he went back home. Well, to the place he rented, as it was no longer a home. He tried to prepare some dinner, but as he did the memories flooded and he couldn't stop them. Little Cassie laughing while he threw flour at her. John looming over her trying to not show how nervous he was about her handling a knife. John kissing his neck while he made stew. Cassie and John moaning exaggeratedly at his food. Cassie and John waiting for him with dinner made.

The knife slipped and he cut his hand. He fell once more to the floor crying, alone and depressed. His blood smeared against the side of his suit while he hugged himself but he didn't care.

Nora's voice surprised him, he hadn't called for her. But he guessed, the curse meant she could feel when her charge was in deep emotional distress.

"Gary, are you okay?" and she sounded genuinely worried.

Gary needed a friend, and he didn't have the energy to lie any longer. "I'm not."

Nora had been annoyed at first, thinking it would be another whim from Gary. But it all turned to worry when she saw his state. She kneeled next to him and hugged him, she knew he responded well to physical contact.

"What is it?" she asked with a soft voice. She didn't had experience in comforting others with her irregular childhood. But she would try for him.

Gary didn't answer, he couldn't speak, he just cried, buried in her chest. Eventually, his tears dried out and Nora spoke.

"Hey, let's get that cut cleaned, okay?"

It wasn't a deep cut but she cleaned it under the faucet, and got Gary to point to her where he kept the band-aids. She treated him with care, and Gary tried really hard to tell himself it was out of love and not pity. When it was done, Nora took him to the couch. But when they were about to sit in it, Gary froze.

"No, no, not here."

This had been his girl's first bed, he couldn't sit here knowing she would never come back to join him to watch TV.

"Did something happened here?" Nora cleverly asked.

Gary nodded. Technically, it was what had  _not_ happened here what bothered him. But it was close enough.

"Why don't you wish we go to another quiet place to talk?" Nora suggested him.

"I wish that."

Nora smiled and flicked her wand taking him to Ray's old apartment. It hadn't been used for almost the entirety of the past two years. It had been a long time since Ray had lived in Central City, and he had briefly mentioned it to Nora - when he suggested they went somewhere private for  _quality_ time. Nora stretched Gary's wish a bit more to remove the dust, open the windows and make the place more lively.

Then her wand turned off and it was time to talk.

"Gary, do you want to tell me what happened?"

He didn't want to, not truly, but he knew he had to confide in somebody. Confession is good for the soul and all that. And who better for it that his very own Fairy Godmother?

"We were married," he said.

"What?"

Gary didn't caught how Nora misinterpreted her words.

"Me and John."

"Oh," that made more sense, Nora thought, but then, "wait, what?"

Gary looked at her with tears in his eyes, and told her everything. He told them about them being together, about rescuing Cassie, about adopting her, raising her, how they got married, and how they had a happy life until Gary woke up in the Waverider.

"And I felt so lost, it didn't make sense. I grew old, Nora, and I had finally found happiness. But then, I found John and he called me and idiot for not helping him fast enough against Neron and that's when I understood it had all been in my head. That this was the reality I was stuck in."

Gary sobbed again.

"I know it was fake, just some sort of dream. But it felt so real. Back here, it all- it all felt so empty. I used to have a husband and a daughter waiting for me home, and now I have nothing again. And I just feel so empty. I feel drained. It was 32 years Nora, and the only thing I have to show for it is the pain in my heart. That's why I took that nipple, I just wanted to feel whole again. Now I don't know how to cope."

Nora stayed silent for a while this was a lot to unload. "It's part of a demon's powers to weaken their victim. They can send them to purgatory like he did with Ava. Or to a dreamland that makes true all the victims most powerful desires. The objective is to make you feel like you do right now, so you won't focus on what you have on this life but on everything that's been gone," she explained gently, hoping that the rational explanation could bring any relief, but she knew it would be little if it did at all.

"That's the issue, I don't have anything," Gary cried and it broke Nora's heart even further.

"Hey, that's not true." Nora took Gary's hands in her. "Hey, look, you told me about your family, your brothers and your dads. It seemed to me you already had them."

"Yes, I do, but they're just- they are stuck with me and-"

"And you have me, okay. And I know that it's not nearly enough, but the Legends won't take you for granted any longer, okay? And they do care about you." She held Gary's cheek. "I care about you."

"Thank you," Gary said. He wanted to tell her it wasn't enough though. He still didn't have anyone that loved him. "Can I stay here?" he said looking around, he didn't know what this place was, he had been to heartstrung to notice.

"It's Ray's, and yes, he won't mind."

"Thank you," Gary repeated, and he hugged her once more.

"Come on, let's borrow some of Ray's PJs."

He made him change, and then, while he got in bed, she sat next to him, and caressed his forehead until he fell asleep. Nora had some thinking to do, but right now she just wanted Ray to hug her. God, she didn't want to be in Gary's shoes.

Gary annoyed her most often than not. But he had also been kind to her. And she thought he was an idiot frequently, but right now, she could only think of how strong he was. She thought back on everything that had happened, on everything Gary could have done as revenge, and on how sweet and simple his wishes were. God, she didn't know if she could have been as strong as he had been. A cursed nipple was nothing to all the dark she would have gone if it was her who had experienced dreamland.

She was able to use her magic to apparate to different places, so she went back to the Waverider.

In that moment, John appeared through a portal.

"Has anyone seen Gary? He isn't at his place and he isn't answering his phone." He looked worried, but not worried enough on Nora's opinion.

"You!" Nora shouted. She didn't care that everyone was probably asleep on the ship. All she cared about was how Gary had sounded when he told her John had called him an idiot. "You! You fucking asshole!"

"What the hell, sparkles? What did I do to you?"

"You stupid fucking selfish entitled asshole!" Nora screamed punctuating each word with a fist to John's chest. "You're lucky I can't use my magic, you son of a bitch!"

"Can you calm down and tell me what the hell I did to you?" John said attempting to hold Nora's hands to stop her from hitting him.

Sara was with Ava, but the rest of the Legends on the Waverider had appeared, including the ogre and the minotaur too.

"You broke Gary's heart, you asshole!"

"I did that a long time ago, love. I don't know why you're getting angry now."

"You-" Nora had been possessed by a demon and even then, she had never been this angry as she was now. "He was stuck in a demon's dreamland and all you did when he came back was insult him!"

She had broke free of John's grasp and she hit his chest again.

"Oh," John said, barely aware of Nora now. It was easy to figure out who Gary's dreamland might have featured.

"Yes, oh!" Nora said hitting him again but now that John wasn't defending himself anymore it wasn't as satisfying.

Ray finally came and grabbed Nora's hand, though it was pointless now. "Hey, hey, let's all calm down."

"Where's Gary?" John asked, his voice weak.

"He's sleeping and he's safe. And you  **won't** bother him, do you understand me?" Nora threatened him with a finger.

"No, I won't." He seemed subdued and Nora thought that maybe John did have feelings for Gary, but man, was it all fucked up.

She glared at him one last time before going with Ray to his room. "He's in your apartment," she whispered to him. "He needed somewhere to stay."

"Well, I'm glad he's there then."

Nora buried herself in Ray's arms why they walked, this was why he loved this man.

.

John hated himself.

It was no new thing, but he particularly hated himself right now. His mind wouldn't stop replaying the way he had treated Gary before he accepted the nipple. It must be then that he had just returned from the dreamland. That look of hurt in his eyes.

God, did John hate himself.

It also left him thinking. It wasn't hard to reason that Gary's dreamland involved him. The way Gary adored him was obvious, but he kept him at arm's length. First, there had been Desmond and the fact that if Gary got close, he would end up hurt and marred. It had been nice being in Gary's arms, to forget everything for a while. But soon, Gary's sweetness and eagerness had become too much. He would end up tainting him.

But he was selfish, and he kept Gary around. With cheap excuses and taking advantage that Gary was a people pleaser, he used him. His attention on him was nice, and his brightness illuminated John's life a bit.

And it finally happened, Gary got marred in demon business and he had been hurt.  _He_ had hurt him. He hadn't pushed him away enough, but he had also pushed him too much.

John knew he had to take a decision. He had to either do something with Gary or keep him definitely away. And he would have to stick to it.

.

When Gary got to the Time Bureau the next day, he got a hug from Ava. Ray had told Sara, and Sara had of course told her. Gary accepted the hug awkwardly, he didn't want to start crying again - he didn't know if he'd be able to stop if he did. Today's work was to release the agents from the spell Gary had put on them. It required magic Gary was able to perform, easily and one by one he undid the spell.

Ava was there with him, standing next to him. Many of them insulted him when they were released from the spell, they were angry at him. Ava ordered them to shut up, and to send in the next one. When it was done, most of the Agents were on the main room, bickering about Gary and how he should be put in one of the cells.

"Silence!" Ava shouted standing on the platform. "Agent Green's actions have already been disciplined, and he shall face no further penance as they were done under the influence of a demon." When several agents begun to complain, Ava continued. "Or shall I also reprimand the actions all of you did while under Neron's orders?" The room remained silent this time. "I expect you will all honor the training Rip Hunter gave you and will act civil with Agent Green. Dismissed!"

Gary wondered if Ava was sticking up to him out of pity. Of how pathetic he was or if it was because of the dreamland. Well, Gary supposed pity was better than mockery.

Ava directed herself to Gary. "It won't smooth everything out, but I tried. But if they ever do something to you, tell me."

"It's okay, Director, you don't have to do this."

"Yes, I do, Gary," Ava said, a hand on his shoulder. "You were right, I used you and I didn't care about your feelings. I- I don't forget you were there you know, while I was in purgatory. You were there when I woke up. I- I want to do the same for you, Gary."

Gary teared up, he would end up crying after all. "Thank you, Director."

Ava smiled at him and let him go.

.

Despite Ava's words the environment on the Time Bureau was stiff. His coworkers were civil enough with him, but they were champions on passive-aggressiveness, and accidental shoves on hallways. He avoided his stall though, because he feared that once more if he would to start crying, he wouldn't stop.

So when Ava came to him and told him the Legends needed help to relocate the magical creatures, he accepted gladly. He knew he would have to see John, and he wasn't sure how ready he was for it, but he would take that over the slow agony of working at the Bureau. He thanked Ava with a smile.

Being in the Waverider was surprisingly easy. There was enough hectic activity to keep him busy, and it was one of the places with the less memories. John seemed to be avoiding him too, or if not, then luck was finally once in his side.

But then he found himself alone in the library. And it struck him again.

"Gideon, can you search something for me? Can you search Cassie Campbell?"

"Agent Green, I would love to help you but I am afraid that if this about someone from your dreamland then I must advise you against it. It will be harder to move on."

"She was my daughter, Gideon, please, I need to know if she's-" A sob interrupted Gary. "Please."

"Alright, Agent Green," her voice seemed particularly soft for an artificial intelligence.

Gideon show him newspapers articles and when he read them, he understood why she had been trying to protect him. There was a part that was the same story, and Gary recognized the article from one of John's supernatural scrapbooks. Two adults were found dead and burned inside a house with evidence of a ritual and membership of a cult. There was no signs of where the fire had started, nothing but the bodies were burned. The records showed a daughter but she had not been found.

And then there was another article, and this was the one that broke Gary. "Cassandra Campbell, age 9, found dead, May 2, 1998," two weeks after her parents death. The article had a picture of her, from her latest school record, two years prior. The case remained a mystery, nobody understood what had happened.

Gary stared at the picture. There she was younger than he had know her. Her eyes innocent yet, but there was already that rebellious spark that she would need to survive her abusive upbringing. Even it had been fake, even if it hadn't been true, Gary had loved her.

He had raised her, comforted in her nightmares, laughed with her, cried with her, he had got angry with her and for her. He had giving him advice and a loving home, and gave her the emotional support needed to heal from her past. He had seen her grow into a beautiful woman. And he had loved her so so much.

But here she was dead. Dead with no chance at life. Dead before knowing a true home, dead with no parents to love her. She was just another kid who met an unfair and unkind ending.

Gary screamed and shouted and sobbed. His hands on his head, his knees against the floor, his heart but a heavy stone burning in his chest, consuming him in pain.

.

"Mr. Constantine," Gideon called for John in his room. "You're needed at the library," she informed him.

John was surprised but he complied. He was several steps away when he heard the noises and rushed to the library. He wasn't sure what he was expecting, but it sure wasn't to find Gary crying hysterically on the floor.

He rushed even more, afraid of the worst, when about to touch Gary's back, he saw the articles on the screen and it all clicked. He fell to his knees too, and hugged Gary hard who barely seemed to register him. John was crying too, silently.

He cursed at Neron for putting Gary through this, but he did not dwell on it. Instead he looked at the picture of the girl on the screen and he wondered how it could have been. He had loved her, hadn't he? He was sure of it, if he was next to Gary then he probably did. Had she loved him? Could a child ever love someone like him? Had he been a good father to her?

He kissed Gary's hair while he continued crying inconsolably, and wondered what kind of partner had he been? Had he been a supportive one? Had he been good enough? Had he'd been the man Gary truly deserved?

It didn't matter though. They weren't there. They were here, and Gary was crying for a child he had never had.

Eventually Gary's crying subsided, and he just laid there, letting his weight rest over John.

"She was ours, wasn't she?" John asked, voice rough.

"She was," Gary sighed. He had no energy left to cry, and talking about her hurt. But words weren't so hard to use right now.

"She looks beautiful."

"She was."

Gary sighed into John's chest. He had made a wet spot in his trenchcoat but neither of them cared. John's arms remained firm around him.

"She loved the way you made the eggs for breakfast. She would get this glint in her eyes whenever you made her favorites, because she didn't want to let out that she had a preference. It was like the time you bought her that dalmatian plushie she was looking at. She didn't didn't say anything, she wasn't used to asking for things that weren't about survival. But you noticed it, and the look she gave you when she opened the box. She tried to hide it, but it was so obvious. Later that night, when we prepared dinner, Cassie came to you and hugged you. It was the first time she did it. God, you two were so similar. You didn't want to let out how much it meant to you too, but I could tell."

Tears were falling from John's eyes, and some of them landed on Gary. That life, that domesticity. It sounded so perfect and so close to them. It seemed achievable, but also impossible. John wanted it.

"Tell me more," he asked. His hands slided from Gary's arm to hold him instead by his torso. Closer, more intimate.

"Do you wanna hear about our wedding?" and there was a smile in Gary's voice. Nostalgic and full of sadness, but a smile nevertheless.

"Yeah, I'd love to."

"Perhaps I should start by saying that you proposed to me with no ring or anything, you didn't even got down on one knee. You just said it like that, after I suggested we needed a bigger house because Cassie couldn't keep sleeping in the living room."

John chuckled. "That sounds like me."

"We first looked for a house. Somewhere we could go with Cassie and that also had a place for all your stuff because you were about to lose rent. And I wouldn't have bat wings in my fridge, and Gideon was about to kick you out too if you kept at it. Until we found one, you did got a ring. I think because Ava threatened to it. You organized to do it on the day we were finally going to meet my parents. I guess you thought that a proposal would fit perfectly with letting them know that I adopted a daughter for the first time."

"How did it go?"

"It was a mess," Gary smiled. "But that was to be expected. You should meet my family John. Between JJ talking to you with his machete on his hands, and Levi offering us to do one of his  _portraits,_ and my father threatening to curse you. But Cassie loved the dinner, she loved the mess and the chaos. I think she was glad she didn't have to try to fit in in a normal family. And somehow, despite everything, you still proposed to me. You still wanted to marry me and raise our daughter together, and join my crazy family." Gary got teary-eyed, his voice got hollow with emotion. "I was so happy. You made me so happy, John, you and her."

John's heart ached with his. He moved one hand to bury it in Gary's hair, and pressed him harder against his chest.

"I'd love that, squire," John said. "I'd love to give you that, alright."

"It's okay," Gary said weakly. "I know that was all just an elaborate dream, and it's impossible."

This was it. This was the moment to confess it. But if John did it, would he be ready to commit? Would he compare?

"It isn't."

Gary untangled himself from John's arms to look at him. "John?"

"It isn't impossible, it's-" fuck, how could John explain it. Explain it, so Gary understood him but most importantly, believed him. "A demon doesn't have the power to create an entire life. All they can do is show you the best possible future based on what you desire."

"What are you trying to say, John?" Gary asked trembling. Afraid to have hope, afraid to not have it.

"What Neron showed you, it was one of many possible timelines."

"John, no." Gary was getting angry, hadn't John had enough of hurting him? He thought he could trust him. Why was he doing this? "We rescued Cassie in the present, and here, it was 20 years ago. She's- she's gone already."

"I don't know why- what I swear, it was a possible timeline. I swear it."

"John, if it's not- Don't make this worse please."

"If you allow me the interruption, Agent Green. My calculations show that there are numerous possible timelines where Cassandra Campbell was born two decades later. Probably due to variations in demon activity. The one you have been to could in fact have been a possibility."

"That-" Gary started. "Doesn't help," he said, his shoulders slumping.

John cupped Gary's cheek. "What I'm trying to say is- if you want to- we could  _aim_  for that timeline." John said nervously, looking Gary in his eyes. "I don't know if I'll compare, I don't know if I'll be the kind of man you deserve. In fact, I'm still convinced I'm not. But if you want, we could try."

Gary's tears fell silently.

"But how? Cassie is- she's-"

"Darling, we're in a time machine," John said with a soft smile.

"I don't want to rescue her just so I can- not so I can fulfill a selfish desire," Gary said weakly, he was afraid he would compare her. That he wouldn't love her as he should, that he wouldn't connect again with her and that he wouldn't be the father she needed.

"Are you telling me that you don't want to rescue that little girl? Give her a new chance?"

"I do. Of course, I do."

"Then we shall," and John risked himself by giving Gary a swift peck on the lips.

Gary barely registered, too focused on the idea of saving Cassie.

"Gideon, will save her affect the timeline?"

"Not if you transport her back right to 2019," Gideon informed them, and she seemed pleased.

Gary almost threw John off in his rush to stand up. He noticed and pushed John up so he was standing to. He was once again nervous energy.

"Darling, I know you're excited about it. But I think we should rest now. We can do it tomorrow, time machine and all that."

Gary slowed down a bit, but he still was visibly anxious.

"Yeah, you're probably right."

"Let's go to my room to rest," John offered and took Gary's hand in his.

They both knew it meant more than just the chance of sleeping together - and for once it would actually be sleeping, just that. It was an offer for so much more. They would still need to talk, and John wanted to do it before they rescued Cassie. There was still so much to set right between them.

But tonight, tonight they would sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more, short chapter to go.
> 
> Also I made it so that Gideon kept Zari's program.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the last chapter/epilogue is here

That night they cuddled on John's bed. John pressed Gary against his chest, needing him close, needing to protect him and let him feel loved. He had many reparations to do.

Gary thought he wouldn't be able to sleep, too anxious about getting Cassie back. But as soon as he head hit the pillow, and with the comfort of John's warmth, he was soon asleep. He dreamt of a child's laughter and of a lover's embrace. When he woke up, he did it with disjointed muscles and an anxious stomach.

They had to talk.

John was still embracing him. He knew by now the cadence of John's breathing, so he could tell he was awake.

He turned around on the bed, making so much movement that if John hadn't been awake already that would have been enough to wake him.

"Hi," he said, afraid that after the night's rest John had changed his mind. He realized that technically it was the first time he and John had actually slept together here. On all their previous encounters John had left. The familiarity of thirty years in the dreamland had made Gary skip that detail.

"Good morning, darling."

John looked calm, he didn't seem ready to bolt and that was something, Gary supposed. He looked away from his face, how did they begun this conversation. Was Gary just supposed to act him,  _hey, did you mean what you said about being my husband and father of a daughter together?_ It wasn't something that could be asked just like that. But John took him out of the predicament by starting the conversation himself.

"I suppose I should start by apologizing," John said. "I used you, squire. I used you for sex and I used when I needed an assistant or an ego boost. And I'm sorry." John was nervous, this was exposing things that went way back. "I liked you since the beginning, but I must admit, I wasn't ready for you, I wasn't ready for a relationship. Then I met him, and learned how to be in one, but the way it ended, it left me broken and I took it out on you. And you didn't deserve that, I'm sorry. I am. And I kept hurting you, time and time again. But if you give me the chance," and at that John looked at Gary in the face, "I want to make it right to you. I want to try to give you what you deserve."

Gary had teared up. "You said the exact same thing to me, thirty years ago. And my answer is still the same, I would love to."

They moved at the same time, and their mouths found each other. It was sealing a compromise, it was coming home. Gary cried into the kiss that felt so familiar yet so new. He had thought he would never have this again, that he would never be on the other side of John's love. He had gotten used to the way John kissed him, but this John kissed him differently. This John kissed him as if he was a miracle. This John kissed him as if it was new.

For it was. They had kissed before, but John had never let his emotions escape him. Yet right now, the kiss was nothing if not pure emotion. John was so afraid he would fail, that he wouldn't be able to provide Gary the happiness he deserved. It's why he pushed him away in the first place, though he had been too selfish to completely let go of him. But now, instead, he pushed through that fear to find his way into Gary. Into the way their tongues felt together and the heat of his body next to his.

They broke apart to breath.

"I'm sorry too," Gary panted. "I was hurt and confused but that was no excuse to say yes to Neron, to help him."

"We both made mistakes," John breathed.

He didn't want to look at the past any longer, he wanted to look at the future they could build together.

"Yeah," Gary agreed before moving in to kiss him again.

It was just a kiss but John's toes were curling in pleasure. He knew that Gary had now an obvious advantage over him, he knew exactly how to curl his hand on his neck, how to bite his bottom lip, to have John swallowing a moan. And then Gary was climbing over him and John shook with arousal.

But John hesitated, they should get up and come up with a plans with the Legends to save Cassie. Gary seemed to read his thoughts though.

"Time machine, babe," he said before going back to kissing him, his hands exploring his body, seeking to undress him.

"Oh, okay, yeah," John agreed to the fantastical argument Gary had presented.

They were already half undressed, as their only preparation for bed had been throwing out enough clothes so they could be comfortable. So getting both of them naked was relatively easy. Relatively because neither could let go of the other for too long. John had this chance, this chance with this wonderful man to make it right.

Before he had been with one foot in and one foot out, though more out than in. This time he was going to go full in. And wow, was it all the way in. They were considering basically adopting a child together if everything went to plan. And John- John was ready. He was scared as fuck, but he wouldn't stop to think, he was ready to jump.

He let go of Gary enough to search for the lube and give it to him.

"Please," he begged.

"You don't have to ask," Gary said with a coy smile that notched up John's arousal even further.

Right, this Gary had decades of experience. Decades of experience with  _him_. Wow, John could tell by the way Gary's fingers played him. Bringing him right to the edge several times, before expertly bringing him back down before he tipped over.

"Do you want to come on my cock?"

"Yes, please," he begged once more and then moaned loudly while Gary entered him.

Which each one of Gary's thrusts, John felt more confident. He felt like flying, but he was grounded by the way that Gary looked at him. By the  _love_  in his eyes, because even though he was not ready to say out loud, that was what it was. He hoped Gary could see  _it_  reflected back to him in his.

John could feel the familiarity in the way that Gary fucked him. How he knew all the corners and curves of his body, how he knew what places to touch, to press, to bite. It was new for John, it hadn't been like this before; but it clearly wasn't new for Gary. John wanted that, wanted to know Gary's body, to know exactly what he liked, to give back to him what he was receiving.

He still remembered some from the few times they'd been together, so he buried his hand in Gary's hair, closing it hard, pulling a little; and the other went to grab a cheek from his ass, digging his nails, holding him close. He threw his head back, exposing his neck, and he shuddered in pleasure at the way that Gary hit his prostate.

"I'm close," he panted.

"Me too," Gary said with a wavering voice that made John's heart flutter. This was the nerd he had decided to fall in love with.

" _Gary,_ " John moaned and came between their stomachs.

Gary lasted only a few thrusts before he came with what sounded like a sob, holding John tight against his body.

He untangled himself with a peck to John's lips and fell to his side while they recovered their breaths.

"That was-" John panted. "Wow, I'm the luckiest boyfriend in the world."

Gary definitely didn't miss John using the word boyfriend, and even though he hadn't yet fully recovered his breath. He turned around and kissed John. A deep heart-felt kiss.

"I want you," Gary confessed, though it almost felt like a command.

"Gary, we just-  _fuck,_ " John was extremely satisfied and done, but the way Gary was kissing his neck now…

"John, I just got you back and I've also recovered my stamina," Gary said briefly before going back to kissing him.

"Okay, okay," John panted, already surrendering himself completely.

.

It wasn't until mid-morning that they left the room to talk to the rest of the Legends. They found Sara alone on the bridge, and she threw her a knowing look with a raised eyebrow.

"First of all, congratulations. But secondly, next time put on some damn music."

John laughed and Gary blushed.

But then it was back to business.

"Pet, we need your help," John begun.

It was John the one who told Sara about Cassie and her role in Gary's dreamland. He told her about the articles, about when and how Cassie died. And he told her about wanting the Legends to help them rescue her. Sara sent glances to Gary, how his eyes teared up with pain and how he held John's hands in his. Though she looked mostly at John, she was looking to Gary when she said:

"Alright, let me get the team and tell them about our new mission."

"You'll help us?" Gary asked surprised. He was mostly expecting the Legends to maybe lend them the Jumpship or maybe just a nod. He wasn't expecting the Legends to actually help him, not this team, not after nipple-gate and the fairy business.

"Hey, Ohana means family, but so does Legends," Sara said with a smile.

.

She was alive and scared, but she was alive. She looked warily at the Legends all around the place, this strange-looking adults with strange powers that were interested in her. She didn't trust adults, even less those that paid attention to her. And these ones seemed pretty interested in her.

John knelt in front of the girl who looked even smaller wearing his trenchcoat over her shoulders.

"It's okay, you're safe," John soothed her. "Cassie, right, sweetheart?"

She nodded.

"Alright, Cassie, it's over, you're gonna be safe now."

"No, I'm not. He's going to return, he still wants to claim me." She was shaking under John's trenchcoat.

John grabbed her shoulders. "No, sweetheart. See this team of weirdos, they won't let anything happen to you. Besides me and Gary are seasoned in fighting demons. We will protect you."

And it was true, Gary now knew his tricks and dark magic.

"Him too?" Cassie looked at Gary who was entering holding two ice-cream cones.

"I wanted to give you a choice, so I brought two flavors, chocolate and strawberry." Gary said trying to pay attention and not let the chocolate one fall into his shirt. But he was too focused on the ice-cream in his hands, that he stumbled over a irregularity on the floor and most of the chocolate ice-cream fell. Gary made a face, "oh, I hope you weren't about to say chocolate," he said dissapointed.

Cassie pulled a little smile and said, "strawberry."

"Well, I'm glad then," Gary said handing her the intact cone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know. I hope you guys liked it. It was an intense fic to write but extremely cathartic.
> 
> Until next time.


End file.
